Clasp



(No Model.)

E. W. GROBSGHEL.

GLASP.

No. 537,974. Patented Apr. 23, 1895,

witnesses moeufoi U IT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN IV. GROESCHEL, OF JERSEY CITY, NE\V JERSEY.

CLASP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 537,974, dated April23, 1895. Application filed November 28,1894- Serial No. 530,258. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN W. GROESCHEL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clasps; andI do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

The object of the invention is to produce a clasp, for supporting hoseand other garments,

which is simple in construction, easily manu-,

factored, durable in use and, though capable of ready attachment to anddetachment from those articles of apparel which it is intended tosupport, will firmly hold without tearing or in anywise injuring them.

The invention consists of the device hereinafter described and claimedwhereby the aforesaid objects are accomplished.

Referring to the drawings which form a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the clasp when shut, and Fig. 2 asimilar view of the clasp when open. Fig. 3 is a viewin perspective ofthe clasp attached to a garment. Fig. 4 shows a longitudinal section ofthe clasp engaging a fabric with the members of the clasp in theposition they occupy when not under tension. Fig. 5 is a view like Fig.4 but showing the parts of the clasp under tension, and Fig. 6 is aperspective showing the under side of the clasp.

The clasp consists of two hinged and spaced members, A and B, thelatterbeing the shorter and having ears I) at its rear end, and beingprovided, at or near itsfront end, with a forwardly inclined stud C thetop of which carries a knob 0 whose front edge 0 serves as a detent ashereinafter indicated.

The longer member A is supported by means of side pintles upon the ears5, and extends at both ends beyond the member B. Its front end a" isslightly turned upward, or away from the member B, and is provided withan orifice D the thickness of whose edges is increased by acircumferential flange a. This orifice D is so situated relatively tothe detent c, of the stud C that, when the members move, the detent willengage the metal of the memher A at the front side of the orifice. Therear end a of the member A is bent downwardly, or across the rear end ofthe member B, so as to be in a different plane from or in a planecutting that in which the portion a thereof upon the other side of thehinge lies, and has a transverse slit d through which a supporting bandof suitable material may be passed and secured.

In the operation of the device, the edge of the fabric or garment isplaced between the two members A and B which are then closed upon thesame. The stud C carries upward a portion of the fabric and crowds itthrough the orifice D. As soon as the detent 0' passes the edge of thesaid orifice, the clamp is locked and will not be disengaged until theuser exerts pressure upon the top of the stud and the under side of theend a of the member A, which pressure he may conveniently exert by histhumb and forefinger.

When the garment is fully supported by the clasp the strain upon thepart a of the member A will, because of the shape of the said memberheretofore described, throw the forward end 64 toward the member B, thuspushing the studfarther through the orificeD and stretching still morethe portion of the fabric borne by the stud C. The throwing of theforward end a toward the member B is due to the fact that, because ofthe bend in the member A, the tendency of longitudinal strain upon theclasp is to press the member B against the body of the wearer. Theeffect of this stretching is to increase thepressure and frictionbetween the stud and fabric and between the fabric and the metal aroundthe orifice D. The considerable thickness of this metal produced by theflange 04 prevents cutting of the fabric, and is as effective for thispurpose as though the entire plate were produced from thick metal.

The hinging of the members so that they will have considerable spacebetween them permits of a rather extended range of movement after theclasp is closed, and admits of the use of the clasp with fabrics ofdifferent weights. 1

In some cases the orifice D may be relatively larger than that shown, oreven smaller, so as to leave more or less space around the stud for afabric.

. The forward inclination of the stud, hereinbefore mentioned, bends thefabric more sharply over the edge of the metal at the front of theorifice D, than woulda rearward inclination thereof, or no inclinationat all. This feature is perhaps as effective as any in preventing thefabric from pulling out of the clasp.

In order to permit an extended opening 0 the clasp the back portion B iscut away considerably between the ears b as seenin Fig 6.

Having described my invention'fully, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A clasp consisting of two members one of which is longer than theother, the shorter member being hinged at or near the middle ofthelonger one, the free end of the shorter member and the adjacent endof the longer member terminating at substantially the same point to formjaws, and the longer member having means for securing a supporting band4 thereto and being bent so as to present an angle toward the hingewhich joins it to the shorter member, whereby when the clasp is in usethe shorter member will be pressed against the body of the wearer andthereby forced toward the longer member so as to close its jawssubstantially as described.

2. In a clasp or supporter for garments, the combination of two hingedmembers, one member havingparts on opposite sides of the hinge indifferent planes and presenting an angle toward the hinge which joinsthe two members, one of said parts being provided with an orifice, andthe other member having a stud with a detent adapted to pass through thesaid orifice substantially as described.

3. In a clasp or supporter for garments, the combination of two hingedmembers, one member having parts on opposite sides of the hinge indifierent planes and presenting an angle toward the hinge which joinsthe two members, one of said parts being provided with an orifice, andthe other member having a stud with a spherical knob adapted to passthrough the said orifice substantially as described.

4. In a clasp or supporter for garments, the combination of two hingedmembers, one member having parts on opposite sides of the hinge 'indilferent planes and presenting an angle toward the hinge which joinsthe two members and each part extending respectively beyond the ends ofthe other member, one of said parts being provided with an orifice, andthe other member having a stud with a detent adapted to passthrough thesaid orifice substantially as described.

5. Aclasp consisting of two hinged members having jaws, the parts of thehinge being immovably secured to the respective members, the one memberhaving an orifice therethrough, and the other being provided with a studwhich has a detent at its end, the said detent being so situated thatthe metal at the edge of the hole in the first named member will snapover and be held by the detent when the jaws are' substantially closed,substantially as described.

6. A clasp consisting of two hinged members the one being provided witha forwardly inclined stud having a detent at its free end and the otherbeing provided with an orifice substantially coinciding with said stud,the metal around said orifice being thicker than the metal of which themember is composed substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN IV. GROESOHEL.

Witnesses:

A. P. STEWARD, E. L. MCCLELLAND. Y

